Special new interview in 2014 with international concert and recording music celebrity Yanni.

Multi-Platinum selling recording and international concert artist Yanni is a legendary artist known worldwide for bringing professional live music and unifying message to all parts of the world. For over 30 years, Yanni has made his presence known as a leading international concert artist with around one billion admirers of all nationalities.

Famous for his concert venues in settings of historical significance, Yanni and his elite orchestra have begun their Worldwide Concert Tour in 2014. During the 2014 concert season an extensive worldwide tour will include venues covering over 20 countries, including Chile, Argentine, Brazil, UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Russia. Also scheduled later this year are concert venues in the U.S. and Canada, with more dates to be added as the year progresses.

Topics covered in this interview are related to Yanni’s newest album Inspirato, a collective project which has taken 20 years to compose and four years to complete. Soon to be released, Inspirato is unlike any other album ever produced. Yanni details the 2014 concert season, with an emphasis on the extraordinary musicians and vocalists in his orchestra. His close relationship with fans of all nationalities and the importance of official Street Team members and Fan Clubs are covered, along with news and his plans for the future.

Exclusive New Interview with Yanni:

John P. Olsen: Let me begin by thanking you for your time Yanni. It is widely known your yearly concert schedule, with consistently sold out concert venues is demanding to say the least. It’s an honor to present to fans your most current, up-to-date interview, taking place during your Worldwide Concert Tour in 2014 and upcoming new release Inspirato.

I am confident many people who have attended one of your earlier concerts, are now anticipating their next opportunity to watch you perform live during the 2014 concert season. For some people this year will be their first chance to attend a live Yanni concert. For the benefit of every concertgoer; can you tell us about any changes you have planned this year, and what attendees will experience during a live concert event in 2014?

Yanni: We have listened to what the fans have been requesting and asking us to put into the concert though the social media in the internet. I have introduced some songs that have been not performed for many years into this current tour.

There is music from the very beginning of my career right up my most recent studio album. We have just started this recent tour in South America and the audience reaction was fantastic.

John: Clearly, the extraordinary vocalists and instrumentalists in your orchestra are an integral part of the total Yanni concert experience. Would you like to tell us about the artists performing with you during the 2014 concert season?

Yanni: I believe that our orchestra is made up of the best musicians in the world. Some of these musicians have been touring with us for decades and the most recent additions have already been with us for over 3 years.

Our musicians represent 11 different nationalities on the stage including England, Germany, Venezuela, Cuba, Paraguay, China, Canada, USA, Russia, Armenia and Greece. Some of the featured soloists fans will be familiar with are Samvel Yervinyan (Armenia) on violin, Charlie Adams (USA) on drums, Ming Freeman (China) on keyboards and Alexander Zhiroff on cello.

Here is a short biography for each orchestra member and vocalists touring with us in 2014 – 2015. (Shown Below)

John: The 2014 concert schedule posted at Yanni.com is already an ambitious number of concert appearances, with many more performances to be added later in the year. Given the fact each concert venue is special in its own way, what drives or motivates you and the orchestra to produce an exciting and memorable concert experience for an audience every time?

Yanni: Every single concert is different. Each one has a unique experience with the audience and in my career I have never experienced any two concerts that were the same. This coming year we will be touring in over 20 countries and we get a renewed enthusiasm from each new audience.

That is the magic of live performances, they are live and never the same. I still get “butterflies” or anxious before every single show. When we perform for an audience, we get so much love from the audience that makes all of us on the stage feel so motivated and rewarded for our effort and this love and relationship with the audience is what keeps us going with such enthusiasm.

John: For any person who has attended or watched one of your televised live concerts, it is apparent the caliber of artists and vocalists in your orchestra is unsurpassed.

Even to the untrained ear their performances are stunning! It is easy to tell that you select only the very best musicians and vocalists from around the world. Can you tell us a little bit about the selection process for artists in your orchestra?

Yanni: Our history has been that someone in the orchestra refers the new person to us. Each member knows the commitment that is required to be in this orchestra and they understand the chemistry, personality and the skill level that is required. Once we have people referred, they undergo a rigorous audition process and then we put them in with the rest of the orchestra. If the chemistry works and they are of the caliber of character needed, then they join and stay for many years. Thankfully, we don’t find ourselves looking for new people very often. Usually several years pass before we look for new members.

John: Recent albums Truth Of Touch & Yanni: Live At El Morro, Puerto Rico have proven to be an enormous success worldwide, having achieved 40 platinum and gold albums and Best Albums of the year at Billboard during your career. Needless to say your millions strong fan base would love for you to produce more releases. I understand the most aspiring project of your life is nearing release, isn’t that right?

Yanni: Yes, we have a new studio album titled “Inspirato” that is coming out in April of 2014. This album took 4 years to record and 20 years to compose the music that inspired it.

I have collaborated with Placido Domingo to have vocals recorded to some many of my instrumental songs with the greatest voices in the world including Placido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Vittorio Grigolo, Rolando Villazon, Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Pretty Yende, Nathan Pacheco, Placido Domingo Jr., Lauren Jelenkovich and Chloe Lowery.

We also have a new television show that is being completed right now. It should also be ready for release in April 2014. The title is “World Without Borders.” It is a collection of performances and behind the scenes looks at our concert tour over the past 3 years and is taken from concerts from over 20 different countries.

John: In your autobiography entitled Yanni in Words, you talk about the creative process in which you compose music. Undoubtedly, music technology has changed greatly from the early years when you first began composing. Your studio albums Truth Of Touch & Inspirato were produced with today’s most innovative electronic equipment. To what degree has today’s advanced music equipment and technology influenced, or changed the thought process while composing, in comparison to the way you composed music years ago?

Yanni: For me the development of new technology to assist with the recording process has made it possible for me to express a much wider array of the creative aspect of music. I am able to record more efficiently and to adapt and alter the sounds to more closely replicate what is in my imagination.

I also have been able to experiment with new sound designs thought technology and many of these sounds were never previously available. For me as a composer this technology has allowed me to more completely express my creative thoughts.

John: In your 2003 autobiography, Yanni in Words, many topics about your life are revealed. Have you considered publishing an updated version of your autobiography at some point in your life?

Yanni: I think that the time will come in the near future for me to share the changes and new lessons learned over the past decade. In recent years I have been able to travel the world more extensively than ever before in my life and I have been able to conquer new challenges and perform and be educated by different people and cultures like never before.

John: Throughout your career, you have shared a close relationship with your fans. It seems you devote so much of your time and energy to please the millions of Yanni fans, which includes membership portals, special events and countless interviews, including our interview today. Why are fans so important to you Yanni?

Yanni: The relationship with my audience is very important because the fans give to me more than I could ever give to them. The love I receive from fans along with the knowledge that my music has affected so many people gives me the passion to continue my career. This interaction with the fans is why I have been able to work at my passion for over 30 years now and there is no end or sign of slowing down in sight. I am extremely grateful to all of my fans for this support and encouragement.

John: In addition to the official Yanni international website hosts and great staff members I met at Yanni-Wake Entertainment, you also have official groups like Fan Clubs, Street Teams, and organizations that provide an invaluable role by organizing pre-concert events and a variety of official Yanni activities.

Would you please tell us about the people in these vital organizations, their role, responsibilities, and who to contact if a person would like to join, and be a part of the Yanni team?

Yanni: I am very proud of our street team members and our fan clubs around the world. I believe we have 32 official Yanni fan clubs around the world. I can tell you that these people are incredibly important to what I do as a musician in that they help answer questions, share information and are the back bone of creating a global community centered on the music.

It is always an honor for me to travel around the world and meet these people personally. Anyone can join our family by registering at Yanni.com or join our team by emailing: TeamYanni(at)YanniWake.com.

John: It is no secret that you and the U.S. based Public Broadcast Service (PBS) share a wonderful connection together for decades. You are recognized as one of the top PBS fundraisers during the non-profit television network’s pledge drives and TV specials, but on the other hand, you and other artists can be thankful for PBS too. In what way has the television Public Broadcasting Service been a positive influence for artists in general and for you personally throughout your music career?

Yanni: PBS has been a wonderful partner for many artists in that PBS gives artists the opportunity to present their art in the manner that is true to them and shares it with a huge audience. Without PBS, many artists would have never had this opportunity and may never have realized professional careers. I am thankful for my long relationship with PBS, it has been a significant factor in helping to give me a professional career as a composer and musician.

John: You are an international music celebrity whose innovative achievements are many Yanni. You are perhaps most famous for your groundbreaking, international concert venues at the Acropolis in Greece, Forbidden City in China, Taj Mahal in India, The Kremlin in Russia, and other significant international concert venues. Of your numerous professional or personal successes, what would you say are the two most rewarding moments in your career to date?

Yanni: There are so many rewarding moments and for so many different reasons. Recently, I have been very proud of our ability to break into some new markets such as the Middle East in Oman, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar.

I also have been very moved by our recent success in South America, specifically Brazil where we have been able to perform several concerts and are continuing to grow our audience.

I also appreciate the very intimate and heartfelt experiences realized by meeting many people and coming in contact with many cultures such as helping with the flood victims in Thailand, the adoption of a Panda from the people of China, and my relationship with the International Space Station through NASA and the Russian space program.

John: Do you have any personal or professional endeavors you would like to achieve sometime in the future?

Yanni: At the moment I am very happy with our plans to continue touring around the world and meeting new people and learning from new cultures. I am sure that in some years from now, this will slow down and I will have other initiatives to explore but for the moment I am living in what is the best time of my life and I am very happy with that.

John: While preparing for our interview Yanni, I couldn’t help but think of what an amazing success story your life has been. Every day I am in contact with artists, many of which envision the attainment and level of success in their careers, similar to what you have achieved during your career. Knowing there will be a variety of debuting and seasoned artists reading our interview; can you offer any advice or guidance for musicians in general or artists in the early stages of their music career?

Yanni: I believe that as an artist and composer, you must stay true to your dreams and persist through the challenging times. I never had a master plan for how my career would work out. I would just focus on the task at hand and dedicate all of my energy and resources to what I was doing at that time.

I never thought about success or money, I only thought about my music and doing the very best I could in being a creative artist. I believe that by putting all of my energy and resources into my music, it led to me being able to have a career as a professional music artist.

John: It has been a privilege to present your most current interview in 2014 Yanni! On behalf of your millions of fans around the world and myself, thank you yet again for sharing a moment of your time. Until the day we visit again, is there anything you would like to express to your fans or official team members who have supported you over the years?

Yanni: It is because of all of the fans and our affiliates that I am able to continue with my career. It gives me great pride to be associated with all of you and I look forward to meeting with as many of you as possible as we continue to travel the world.

Warm Regards, Yanni

Visit the official Yanni.com homepage where you can find 2014 Concert Tour information. Read the full biographies for the elite team of Yanni Orchestra Members and visit their official websites. To purchase CD albums, DVDs, gift items and merchandise visit the Yanni Store. Find information for the Yanni Community, Street Team, Fan Club and International Affiliate Members at Yanni.com and read my Yanni Section. For current news visit social media sites Facebook and Twitter. Interview photos courtesy yanni-wake entertainment & whit padgett. Big stock photos courtesy sborisov & pius99.

Orchestra Member’s Biography Summary:

Yanni’s orchestra is a truly unique collection of musicians. Yanni has hand-picked each member of his orchestra and has been in search for the world’s top performers to bring you what you see today. He refers to them as the “United Nations” as they come from all walks of life, backgrounds and experiences from all over the world. Yanni brings you on a musical journey that only this group of musicians can attempt. The talents from each member surpass the imaginable, and they are all brought to you on one stage under the guidance of a true modern day orchestrator.

1. Charlie Adams, Drummer, Illinois, USA

From the USA, Charlie has been with Yanni from the beginning performing on drums in rock bands when they were kids. Charlie’s energy, stage performance and stamina gets every audience on their feet all around the world.

2. Benedikt Brydern, Violin, Munich, Germany

From Germany, Benedikt has a background in jazz violin and brings his unique style to Yanni’s music. He has been touring with the Yanni orchestra for 4 years.

3. Jason Carder, Trumpet, Arizona, USA

From the USA, Jason has shared his talents as a professor of jazz trumpet at the University of Miami. He has toured with Yanni for 4 years and uses his flugelhorn to reach unimaginable notes.

4. Yoel Del Sol, Percussion, Cuba

From Cuba, Yoel has been Yanni’s leading percussionist for 4 years performing the congas like no other. He brings an energy and latin flair to stage.

5. Victor Espinola, Harp, Asuncion, Paraguay

From Paraguay, Victor is a unique performer who brings a dynamic injection of unique style to the harp. Victor has been with the Yanni orchestra for a decade.

6. Ming Freeman, Keyboards, Taiwan

From Taiwan, Ming has been with Yanni for almost two decades touring as the lead keyboardist. Ming’s solos feature his true talents and showcases just how fast and rhythmic he can be on the keyboards.

7. Lauren Jelencovich, Vocalist, Florida, USA

From the USA, Lauren is classically trained at the Manhattan School of Music and has a voice capable of effortlessly hitting notes that no other singer would attempt. Lauren has been with the tour for the past 2 years.

8. Lisa Lavie, Vocalist, Montreal, Canada

From Canada, Lisa’s powerful voice takes on some of Yanni’s most difficult compositions. As singer and songwriter, she brings energy and emotion to the stage. Lisa has been with the tour for the past 2 years.

9. James Mattos, French Horn, California, USA

From the USA, James has been performing on his French Horn for over 18 years with Yanni’s orchestra. He maintains the warm, rich undertones throughout the concert events.

10. Sarah O’Brien, Cello, Nottingham, England

From England, Sarah has toured all over the world with Yanni. Trained on cello in London’s Guildhall School of Music, she has been seen on the stage with Yanni at every major concert event.

11. Mary Simpson, Violin, Virginia, USA

From the USA of Chinese decent, Mary plays her “fiddle” bringing warmth and richness with a bluegrass edge – her style and her smile capture the hearts of every audience. Mary has been touring with Yanni for the past 2 years.

12. Dana Teboe, Trombone, Florida, USA

From the USA, Dana is a widely recognized trombone player who has impeccable tone, accuracy and energy. Dana has been performing with Yanni for 8 years.

13. Gabriel Vivas, Bass, Caracas, Venezuela

From Venezuela, Gabriel brings a new life to the bass performing runs and scales rarely seen. Gabriel has been with Yanni since 2008 and remains a top performer.

14. Samvel Yervinyan, Violin, Yerevan, Armenia

From Armenia, Samvel has been widely recognized as one of the world’s premier violinists and has been a star performer among Yanni’s orchestra for the past decade.

15. Alexander Zhiroff, Cello, Russia

From Russia, “Sacha” has been touring with Yanni for almost 17 years performing at all the major concert events around the world with his cello. Sacha performs with a unique style and incredible talent.

Information guide for Official Olympic Albums and where to purchase Olympic music of the Summer and Winter Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

If you are a fan of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and want purchase information for available Olympic albums, soundtracks or individual MP3 digital song downloads, perhaps I can assist.

In most cases I have found people are looking for an official song, recording or playlist by artists performing during a Summer or Winter Games Opening and Closing Ceremony.

Finding official music albums sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) can be time consuming so my objective is to provide accurate assistance to visitors.

Since I have covered music news related to the Olympic Games for several years, I can pass along detailed information on the availability of specific Olympic music selections and purchasing details like where to sample or buy official albums.

Whether you want to buy the official music of the Sochi Opening and Closing Ceremonies or find authorized albums from past Olympic Games, availability varies for each Olympic venue.

Even if an authentic recording is offered they don’t get much marketing support from the IOC, and some albums or soundtracks are available for purchase while others are not.

For example the newest release, Official Album of Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, was made available on February 3, 2014. Another example is Isles Of Wonder: Music For The Opening Ceremony Of The London 2012 Olympic Games, & Enlightenment – Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games are available, and can easily be found at online retail stores like iTunes or Amazon.

Likewise there are additional official albums to sample or purchase from earlier Opening and Closing Olympic Ceremonies. Each are unique in their own way, and provided below is a list of available albums to choose from.

In the event an album is not offered and you want to find a track list of songs by performing artists so you may purchase the individual songs yourself, creating your own playlist can be obtained by several methods.

Major news organizations, especially a news organization in the host country, provide an accurate description of the ceremony events in the specific order they were performed.

Another source to find an official album or list of artists and a track list of songs is Wikipedia. Simply enter search criteria related to the specific Olympic Opening or Closing Ceremony of the host country you are looking for. Various sporting or music blogs, including this one, provide accurate, detailed information for their visitors too.

One word of advice is to make a determination of whether or not the album or songs you want to buy are actual selections from an authorized album. This is especially true when searching for an official Olympic album at online retailers like iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby. The album cover and product details will tell you a lot, since they are marketed as “un-official.”

Music artists will sometimes market a “tribute album” which is made in good faith in honor of the games, but they are not endorsed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The majority of artists will show integrity by clearly indicating the marketing status of their music product as a tribute album only.

You can usually determine tribute albums by checking the release date, which typically show the date released days or months prior to an Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Tribute albums can be original music or have a playlist of national anthems, ceremony fanfares and theme songs of the actual music. Although these are not authentic releases, tribute albums and songs can be a worthwhile product to purchase.

Many available products are professional symphony pieces performed by famous concert orchestras, but they too are merely offering their version of an actual song.

One final piece of information concerning official Olympic music is the fact most official albums are not a recorded live performance of an Opening and Closing Ceremony itself.

In other words the selections you may be interested in purchasing might not be in the order performed, and specific songs may be added or various artists may not be included in the official version. All things considered, authentic Olympic and Paralympic albums are of course, a one of a kind collectable recording.

With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil two years away, it is unknown at this time whether there will be an official Rio Summer Games album. One feature we can count on and look forward to is the Rio Olympic Opening and Closing ceremonies. The Rio 2016 Summer Olympics are sure to be as thrilling as the Brazilian Carnivals themselves!

Official Summer and Winter Olympic Album Collection.

With the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games now over, many people will be looking to buy an official album of the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games. We can expect the same when Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hosts the Summer Olympic Games in 2016.

One authentic album available from the Sochi Winter Games is titled; Official Album of Sochi 2014 Olympic Games. There are also authentic albums from previous Olympic Games available too. Shown below is a collection of Olympic music now available. See you in Rio de Janeiro!

12. 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time

Orchestra Music Collection: Complete National Anthems of the World by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice.

If you are a fan of classical Orchestra music and the Olympic or Paralympic Games, there is one comprehensive collection of national anthems you may be interested in sampling. Comprised of 10 discs total, the official album title for this orchestral music collection, performed by a professional orchestra is; The Complete National Anthems of the World (2013 Edition).

The Complete National Anthems of the World(2013 Edition) is an all-inclusive 10 disc collection with 462 songs performed by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice. While this collection of classical anthems is not the official orchestra performing during an actual Olympic or Paralympic Games Ceremony, the national anthems on this collection are authentic versions of national anthems for nearly every sovereign country in the world.

Exclusive interview in 2014 with music artist James Hood.

Interview host and publicist John P. Olsen recently had an opportunity to interview celebrated percussionist and soloist James Hood, creator of the ambient electronic group, Moodswings, and former percussionist for the popular new wave/alternative band the Pretenders.

Composer, producer and percussionist James Hood has enjoyed a diverse and lengthy career as an instrumentalist. Highlights include a successful solo career, having just released a new 2 disc solo album titled Ceremony. This new release, recorded at the Integratron structure near Joshua Tree, California is currently the #1 album on iTunes Canadian World Music Chart.

James Hood is a highly respected artist who possesses, and has delivered, a versatile range of music to millions throughout his decade’s long career. During this newest interview conversation, which takes place in March of 2014, a wide variety of in-depth topics are explored.

Included in this discussion James Hood talks in detail about his new solo album Ceremony, which is performed exclusively on an exotic percussion instrument named PanArt Hang.

Information on the unique tonal qualities of the percussion instrument is provided, along with the fundamental variations of the Hang. Today I am pleased to present an informative conversation with fans and visitors.

Interview with James Hood in 2014:

John P. Olsen: Thank you so much for accepting my interview invitation James. I have been a fan of the music you have produced for years, and it’s a privilege to host your newest interview in 2014.

James Hood: Thanks John. I appreciate all of your support over the years and it is a pleasure to talk with you.

John: In addition to your solo career as a new age artist, you have enjoyed a diverse and remarkable music career, including being the originating member of the popular, ambient electronic band Moodswings. Plus you were a percussionist for several other bands, including the music icons Jeff Beck and pop new wave band the Pretenders.

James Hood: Actually it was Jeff Beck who played on Moodswings’s first CD “Moodfood.” He is a good friend of Chrissie Hynde and she loved the track “Skinthieves,” which she heard me working on while I was playing with the Pretenders the first time. It went on to be the TV theme music for “America’s most wanted” for about 5 years, which was a bit of a shock! I’ve never once watched an episode – not my thing at all!

John: You have a new age double CD album titled Ceremony, newly released on February 4, 2014. I wrote an album review about Ceremony and in preparation for our interview together I read your new solo album is unlike any other album you have produced. I now understand why. Ceremony was recorded at the Integratron structure near Joshua Tree, California, in the Mojave Desert. Why did you decide to record your album at the Integration?

James Hood: I went to the Integratron to hear for myself because I had heard that the sound there was extraordinary. And what I had been told was true; it was an extraordinary aural experience. And I thought it would be a beautiful match for this wonderful sounding instrument.

There are a number of different natural sound effects in different places inside the Integratron and we found the area that suited the instrument best. Then we just put mikes everywhere and started recording. There is something wonderful about listening to music in a building that has been constructed solely for its sound. It was an honor to play there.

John: There are 11 songs on the 2 disk CD Ceremony album. Were all songs improvised or was Ceremony played from a composer’s song sheet while recording at the Integration?

James Hood: Angelica and Biorhythmetic were entirely improvised by what I call stream of consciousness playing where I become mesmerized by the beauty and subtlety of the sound until I simply lose track of time.

With the more rhythmically melodic tracks, I wouldn’t say “from a composer’s song sheet” but I already had some melodies planned and grooves in my head when I got to the Integratron and then it just developed on the day from there.

The entire 2 hour double album was recorded in just 2 days and not much longer than that to mix down back at my place. I don’t know what happened here to be honest, ask anyone – I’m the guy who takes 4 years to make a Moodswings album!

John: The music you produced on Ceremony is near opposite in composition to the music you produced with your ambient electronic group, Moodswings, and band the Pretenders. Other people will be writing about your work so your own words James, how would you best describe your music compositions today?

James Hood: I actually don’t agree that they are completely the opposite of Moodswings. It’s simply a different sonic vocabulary. In the Pretenders, apart from a couple of co-writes, I was simply the drummer. Despite the fact that Moodswings and Ceremony sound so different, they were actually written in a similar process.

It starts with hearing a melody or a groove in my head, something that evokes that feeling of something timeless and magical. It’s just that it is found through utterly different musical modalities – really the difference between finding beauty through the digital or the analog. In the case of Ceremony by playing a concave metal plate or with Moodswings by firing off billions of samples!

John: What were the circumstances or events where you discovered the PanArt Hang for the first time, and why did you become interested in this exotic percussion instrument?

James Hood: I was at a drum circle at a British music festival. Someone had one and it was love at first sight. Having been a drummer my whole life, I was very interested in a percussion instrument that was so melodic – or a melodic instrument that was so percussive!

The sound totally mesmerized me, made me feel instantly inspired and elevated. Why wouldn’t you want to play that instrument every day? I immediately started imagining first how to play it both very fast and very lightly to create a sort of watery rhythmical momentum that I felt would be very mesmerizing.

It took me a few years to find out while I built up the finger strength, because to hit the drum consistently softly strangely takes more strength than hitting it hard. I had to train my right arm to be stronger so that I could play completely evenly which is more comforting on the ear.

John: There are several variations of the PanArt Hang since its creation by Felix Rohner and Sabina Scharerin in the year 2000. At your official JamesHood.com website you describe the PanArt Hang as a musical instrument with seven holes, and a dome in the middle. Included in our interview together are photos, but could you describe the instrument in more detail and explain the variations of this exclusive instrument?

James Hood: When PanArt first released the first generation of Hang drums, which are still my favorite, they were very adventurous with the range of tunings, both Western and Eastern scales were experimented with. This allows me like a harmonica player, to play in multiple keys. The second generation, they reduced the range of tunings and although I have a second generation hang that I love, I think the first generation are the most magical of all PanArt products.

John: What version do you play with live performances, and why have you selected this specific version?

James Hood: I perform with a first generation Pentatonic F (Metal Ambulance, Sonic Ashram, Friendly Alien), a first generation Pentatonic C (Sweet Acceptance, Imaginary Friend, A Goat Called Lavendar Angelika).These two are both very light with a beautiful chime. The second generation D Minor Pentatonic (Cherry Mandala, Fey Bedouin) is much warmer in tone, darker and almost sultry.

John: In terms of the music you produce today, was making a transition from more popular forms of music to a niche genre like new age music a challenge for you, or was the change a relatively easy one to make?

James Hood: It was both. Having produced music from an almost infinite palate of sounds, it was refreshing to limit myself to one instrument. It certainly made completing a record that much faster. But I was also aware of a sweet momentum with “CEREMONY” – everything just flowed.

As a producer it didn’t feel at all limited to just use one instrument because by using different microphones and certain different sonic approaches. I found I could get a very wide variety of sounds.

And something extraordinary started to happen when I overdubbed a couple of different parts with the same drum. I started to hear wonderful harmonics that were simply the sum of all the individual parts – sometimes I thought could hear angelic voices and washes that are entirely a sonic mirage, caused by the pure harmony of the overtones in the metal.

I have become used to really taking my time over completing a record. I am perhaps a little bit of a perfectionist. Recording with the PanArt Hang was like learning how to produce in a different way. Because it already sounded pretty perfect in its raw form, whereas I suppose in the past I would spend a huge amount of time trying to polish samples to get to the same glistening effect that the Hang does so naturally.

I never listened back to much in the studio but would rather do a rough mix-down and then go listen to it in a normal environment like my car or in the kitchen. For some reason, I was unable to make decisions regarding the pacing or progress of a track in the usual studio environment. As soon as I took it out of the studio, it made more sense. It’s a different kind of music that wants to be part of scenery – like sonic incense.

John: I would imagine most musicians know from experience, what may appear to be an easy instrument to play is often more difficult than it looks, and vice versa. Is playing the Hang difficult, or is the instrument pretty forgiving, and relatively easy to play?

James Hood: I think it is fairly easy to sound okay on the Hang pretty fast if you know how to play a steady rhythm. Some people hit it and can’t really get a sound out of it. It’s best if you have pretty rubbery wrists! If you have to learn both all about playing rhythm and getting a sound out of the hang, I think it would be pretty challenging.

Since I already knew the rhythm bit, it was just learning the technique of how to hit the Hang. Some people can just pick the hang up, hit it and it sounds nice. But a lot of people, when they first hit the hang, it makes no sound at all, just a dull metallic clunk.

John: In relation to being a solo instrumental performer, what are the main components that set your music apart from other musicians who perform on a hand played solo instrument?

James Hood: I think I play softer than most people. I am obsessed by the gossamer light warm tone that the instrument emits when stroked very lightly. I also don’t think a record quite like this has ever been made, apart from a couple of solo performances.

Most of this record is a veritable orchestra of interweaving hang parts intricately pieced together rather like making sonic jewelry – then add into the mix (literally), a brilliant warm old valve microphone that we recorded everything on and of course the extraordinary sounding place we recorded everything – love it or not, it’s undeniably a pretty unique album. What I am trying to achieve with this instrument is to find sacred sonic moments that warm the heart and make time stand still for a while. I consider the Hang to be sacred, created by a small company with an inspired pure intention to reach the divine.

John: The sound qualities of a PanArt Hang are quite unique, possessing tonal qualities apart from all other percussion instruments, including the Steel Pan or Steel Drum percussion instruments, and other directly struck, or hand played idiophone. How would you describe this unique sound?

James Hood: I feel it is the sound of perfection, a simple pure ringing tone that sweeps thru the body and I think for other people it is the same. People react instantly when they hear it! I feel the sound has an almost primordial quality, a thin piece of welded iron that sings with a compassionate grace.

John: In addition to your current studio album Ceremony, you plan to perform live on stage playing the PanArt Hang. Are there any obstacles for you to overcome while performing a live solo act?

James Hood: My approach is rather like that of a classical Indian musician or those who play kirtan, in that I aim to birth a devotional sacred atmosphere that speaks to the warm sensitivity in people.

Live I also perform with beautiful immersive visual accompaniment going on around me, mostly created by a brilliant Russian artist, Tatiana Plakhova from complexitygraphics.com to encourage the mind to swim in this ecstatic reverie of pure sound and light.

The combination of the sound and the images form a powerful transformative experience that aims to help people fall effortlessly into that intimate pure inner space within them self where they can really access their own power and clarity thru this instrument.

When I perform my intention is first to try get out of my own way mentally and allow myself to be in a trance by the sound. If I can get there it’s more likely that that energy will transmit to the audience. There can be no stress in my mind when I’m playing the Hang. Luckily the amount of time that I have played the Hang now and the mesmerizing effect of the sound usually helps me to get into a sort of trance and awe which can have a powerful effect on both me and the audience!

John: Obviously the concert venues you will be performing at will be a lot different than say, The Pretenders and Moodswings. What venue setting would be a likely venue for you to perform live solo music, and who would one contact to book you for a performance?

James Hood: The ideal setting is an intimate seated, comfortable warm environment with lots of wood, where there is no background noise (like in a theater or cinema). You’re right in that this is a very different type of show to what I have previously done in my musical career. Simply put, I’m trying to calm people’s heart rates down rather than whip them up into a frenzy of rocking excitement.

John: I try to provide music news coverage for an artist’s fans if possible, so do you have any press information about upcoming events, your solo work or news related to Moodswings?

James Hood: Just keep an eye on www.jameshood.com and my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jameshoodmusic all news will be posted there. It’s also worth keeping an eye on YouTube because I will be posting regular improvisations and other sonic snippets because I am recording all the time and it has to keep flowing out so as to make a space for the new to come in!

John: In closing I want to thank you again for agreeing to our interview James. I am pleased to present your newest interview for your fans and visitors. I hope we have a chance to visit again to update everyone on current news about you.

James Hood: It has been a pleasure! Thank you so much for your interest and support. I appreciate you and everyone who can help me reach as many people as possible with this unusual music, because this instrument needs to be heard and not many have. There are not many undeniably and uniquely beautiful things in this world, something whose beauty you can’t deny and the PanArt Hang is such a thing! It has been such a joy to learn its ways, it has already changed me for the best and I feel I am just getting started. This instrument is like a fractal-the deeper you go into it the more it reveals!

Canada’s Juno Awards Ceremony set for March 30, 2014. The evening ceremony honors the best Canadian artists and their albums by Canada’s most coveted music award.

Much like Canada and the U.S. share a collective international border at Niagara Falls, our two countries share similar qualities when it comes to each country’s most prestigious music award ceremonies.

Scheduled on the weekend of March 29, March 30, 2014 Canada’s most prestigious music award ceremony honoring top artists will be televised live at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Much like the United States process to determine GRAMMY® Awards, Canada’s Juno Awards are decided by either a designated selection process or selections determined by voting members of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS).

New members are inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the ceremony, which will include legendary rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The designated hosts for the ceremony are: Classified, Johnny Reid, and Serena Ryder.

Popular artists are scheduled to perform including ceremony hosts Classified and singer, songwriter Serena Ryder. Additional artists set to perform are as follows; Gord Bamford, Dean Brody, Brett Kissell, Matt Mays, The Sheepdogs, Tegan and Sara, Robin Thicke, Walk off the Earth.

There are 44 Juno Award Categories this year, and comparable to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), Juno awards are presented as primarily Album of the Year or Artist of the Year. This change in award category terminology, which took place in 2003, was previous phrased as Best Album or Best Artist of the Year.

The Juno Awards Ceremony is televised live on the CTV Television Network each year. It’s unclear if the majority of Americans will have televised access of the live broadcast.

On March 30, 2014 you can visit CTV.ca to see if a streaming broadcast video of the ceremony is shown live. In the past the American Television Network MTV2 broadcast previous Juno Awards Ceremonies so American satellite and cable viewers may be able to watch the ceremony on the MTV2 channel.

For Canadian persons familiar with the Juno Awards nominees the chances of selecting the correct lineup of winning artists are identical to their American counterpart trying to guess the outcome of the GRAMMY® Awards. But in equal terms is an evening celebration filled with anticipation and excitement of who will win Canada’s Artist of the Year or Album of the Year!

New Age Music Review: The Wonder Well by John Adorney.

When it comes to quality new age music the vocalist and instrumental artists on the Eversound Record Label are a reliable source for some of the finest contemporary instrumental vocal music available today.

John Adorney is recognized as one of the very best new age artists on the Eversound Record label, and a featured performer on the record label’s popular compilation releases; The Artists of Eversound LIVE!! – 15 Anniversary Concert & Eversound’s 10th Anniversary compilation albums.

The Wonder Well is the newest album by John Adorney. Judging from what others have said about his eighth album, everyone seems to be in agreement this is the best instrumental and vocal albums he has produced to date.

If you have heard The Wonder Well you would probably agree too. With 11 vocal instrumental songs The Wonder Well is the 2014 follow up to albums John Adorney & Daya – Live! In Concert, River of Breath & The Fountain. Quality driven at every turn, what a super follow-up album this is!

The theme you will hear on The Wonder Well is inspiring music fashioned by modern classic rhythms. The amazing vocalist Daya is again a featured artist, singing on four songs, along with Richard Hardy who plays bamboo flute on the last song. Every track is composed with a free flowing instrumental style, rich in depth and a wonderful melody line at every turn.

After years of reviewing John Adorney albums it never ceases to amaze me how one man can consistently create elegant music year after year. There are rare qualities in all of his albums, and I too agree this newest release is the finest I have heard. Those familiar with his music know this, and people who listen to his music for the first time will quickly discover this.

For any musician, producing one sensational album in a lifetime is an achievement, but rare is the fact John Adorney manages to produce an exceptional album every time. It’s a high goal for any artist to achieve but it’s what we have come to expect from one of the best artists at the Eversound Record Label, John Adorney.

The 11 songs on John Adorney’s newest February 11, 2014 release The Wonder Well are: In Spiritus – featuring Daya, Never Alone, The Wonder Well, At Home, Window to the West, If a Rose Could Speak – featuring Daya, Unbounded, The Cup and the Veil, The Meeting Place, Heartstrings, & Beautiful World.

New Denise Young Album Passionata – Neo-classical new age piano with instrumentals album produced by record producer Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton at the Imaginary Road Studio.

If you love classical piano and new age music combined, one of the best new collectives of the two genres is now hitting store shelves. In fact you will find the artistry and production of this album is top shelf. The marvelous sound you hear, which transcends narrowly defined genre categories into popular, easy listening music is appropriate for a wide variety of listeners.

American pianist, song writer and Steinway Recording Artist Denise Young made an impression on me after listening to her brand new neo-classical new age piano with instrumentals album titled Passionata.

Denise Young’s new 2014 follow-up album Passionata is comparable in elegance and style to her two releases in 2007 titled Time Alone & Something You Dream Of, all of which may leave you wondering if you are listening to classic piano music by an old master like Bach, Beethoven, or Brahms.

While I am far from an expert on modern classical music, I found Passionata breathtaking by the elevated emotional feel and quiet poignant phrasing on each of the 11 songs.

This new album by Denise Young also has the distinction of being produced at the Imaginary Road Studio, home of famous record producers Will Ackerman and co-producer Tom Eaton.

Beautiful by a distinct cinematic nuance, Denise Young’s Passionata is reminiscent to the style of cinematic film music producers John Williams and Michael Nyman.

New Celtic Woman CD & DVD – Celtic Woman releases new Emerald: Musical Gems and North American Tour with over 80 concert performances in progress for the popular Celtic group.

Celtic Woman is making music news this week by the release of Emerald: Musical Gems, a digital CD with 12 traditional Irish songs, which includes an additional free MP3 download version at Amazon. Released on February 25, 2014, an accompanying DVD with 18 songs by the same title is also available.

Celtic Woman’s North American Concert Tour has begun, and is expected to cover over 80 concert shows in North America. Later in the year on October 13, 2014, Celtic Woman begins their European Tour, covering cities in the countries of Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland.

It’s been quite a year for the group, having attained the Top World Album of the year at Billboard for the Celtic Woman Home For Christmas album. Billboard likewise awarded Celtic Woman the World Artist of the Year, which is the fifth year in a row for the ultra-popular vocal instrumental group.

The CD version of Emerald: Musical Gems, contains 12 song of the traditional Irish fare that has propelled Celtic Woman to modern day music celebrities, who continue to dazzle the world. The 12 song of traditional Irish favorites on the Emerald: Musical Gems CD are: Mo Ghile Mear, Dulaman. Caladonia, Amazing Grace, The New Ground, She Moved Through The Fair, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Nil Se’n La, Danny Boy, The Voice, The Parting Glass & You Raise Me Up.

Yanni Studio Album Inspirato – Yanni-Wake Entertainment has released press information for Yanni’s new vocal instrumental album titled Inspirato. Included is a special news update for the Yanni Worldwide Concert Tour in 2014.

If you are a Yanni fan there is a chance you have already heard the fantastic news about the new Yanni album due for release this spring on April 29, 2014. I received a press release from the Yanni-Wake people today about this breaking news story. Included in the special news announcement is updated information for Yanni’s Worldwide Concert Tour during 2014.

Inspirato, released on the Sony Classical Label, is an album which took 4 years to complete, from composing, performing, to a final recording.

Teaming up with record producer Rick Wake and celebrity opera star Placido Domingo, Inspirato features premium vocalists from around the world. This contemporary instrumental vocal album has 13 songs with each song featuring one of twelve vocalists, whose biography can be read at Yanni.com.

Another important aspect of this master opus from Yanni is the album composition itself, taken from a deeply personal viewpoint. The creative stimulus for Inspirato is drawn from the past 30 years of his career as a celebrity artist and a true-to-life, personal story of opera star Pretty Yenda, from South Africa.

To me, its clear Yanni is at the top of his game as a professional composer and performer so this personal, “from the heart” album is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on the listener.

Fans are already expressing elation over the special announcement at Yanni’s Facebook page, and expect the anticipation to grow as we reach full bloom on the April 29, 2014 release date this spring.

In concert news, if you check Yanni.com you will also see an expansive list of new concert dates are now announced. Beginning in March 2014, Yanni will begin a worldwide tour covering over 20 countries, which includes the U.S. and Canada. And more dates will be added to this extensive tour as the year progresses, so check for more updates on the Yanni Tour page.

For many people this will be their first chance to experience the extraordinary music performed by one of the greatest international concert artists of our time.

After covering Yanni and his orchestra for years now it seems I do have a sense for developing stories about the artist. Awhile back, I remember looking at a press photo of Yanni practicing on a concert piano at the Kravis Center. I now see the Kravis Center photo (top left photo) is the album art cover selected for Inspirato.

I thought there may be a news story coming up at the time, but nothing like this, so I guess everyone is a little surprised by this latest development. Considering the new album and additional tour updates for 2014, this is fantastic news indeed!

The purchase price listed for the Inspirato audio CD is $14.97, which is a real bargain price in my view. The composition and recording of this particular album is rare – plus the mega collection of the world’s finest vocal artists will surely put Inspirato at the Best Sellers Chart at Amazon and Top 10 Chart at Billboard!

When it comes to a victory party or celebration occasion to recognize a person’s hard earned achievement, there is nothing better than selecting the perfect award ceremony music.

Inspiring songs with upbeat themes are guaranteed to set the tone and atmosphere of your get-together while the award recipient basks in the sweet victory of success.

With all of the recent honors given to athletes from all nations scoring personal victories and winning medals in the Sochi Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, providing a list of award ceremony music seemed like a well-timed article to write.

In case you are wondering the song played during the Sochi Olympic Metal Award Ceremony is the national anthem of the individual person or team member’s country who won the gold medal.

Playing the gold medalist’s national anthem during the Medal Award Ceremony was also the case during the London Olympics in 2012.

In addition to the individual national anthem of the gold medalist’s country the song Chariots of Fire by Vangelis was also an official anthem played during the London Summer Olympic Medal Award Ceremonies.

The inspiring song Chariots of Fire was the perfect victory song in this case, but the classic Vangelis tune is not necessarily the best song for every special occasion.

All Olympic athletes who won a gold, silver, or bronze medal during the Sochi Winter Olympics indeed have a very good reason to celebrate, but even everyday people like you and I will have our own special occasion to celebrate.

Apart from the music played during the Olympic Games, during our special get-togethers with friends we too want to select the perfect anthem for our award ceremony music.

Depending on your award ceremony occasion, whether it is a formal educational graduation ceremony, achievement award party, or a host of other informal special occasions to celebrate with upbeat, exultant music, here is a list of 10 popular award ceremony songs and classic anthems to choose from.

There is a selection of classic songs from multiple genres suggested in this list of celebration songs including classical, rock, adult alternative, pop and Christian music.

Enjoy your latest victory, every winner knows it is fun to be number one! Big Stock Photos by YuriSamsonov & EskayLim.

10 Songs and Anthems for Award Ceremony Music:

1. Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D (Land of Hope and Glory) by Sir Edward Elgar.

9. Long Distance Runner by Degarmo & Key.

10. On Top Of The World by Imagine Dragons.

Upcoming interviews with important music celebrities: Learn more about your favorite artist by three new exclusive interviews at New Age Music World.

I am pleased to announce three important artists are soon to be featured at this site. The first is with former The Pretenders drummer and founder of group Moodswings, James Hood. The second interview is with famous Celtic musician and vocalist, Loreena McKennitt. The third interview scheduled is with world-class concert and studio recording artist Yanni.

One thing I have learned over the years as an interview host is the fact fans do want to know more about their favorite artist. While I am knowledgeable about the lives of many important celebrity artists I meet and write about, I can honestly say I too enjoy learning even more about the artists myself. Needless to say, popular music celebrities live fascinating lives.

The upcoming interviews are an actual interview conducted by me, not lesser quality teaser articles or copied content consisting of a few quotes taken from another person’s interview. In other words fans and visitors can expect the full conversation comprised of original, up-to-date topics presented in each interview.

I work hard for an artist’s fans to cover interesting topics and ask artists relevant questions so each all-inclusive interview is unique and contains the most current news content available. Currently there are 33 exclusive interviews to read at this site. Below is a list of artists I have interviewed so far. The popularity of this site has never been greater so watch for more interviews with major music artists presented to visitors in the near future. Select from the musician’s names shown below and read about your favorite artist in my Interview Section or Interview Category. Big Stock Photo by Viperagp.

33. Colin O’Donohoe – Director of Pangean Orchestra and new age, world music composer.

Official Olympic Music for 2014: Sample or purchase the new Official Album of Sochi 2014 Olympic Games with 13 songs.

If you are a fan of the Olympic Games, and you would like to sample or purchase the official sanctioned album of the 2014 Olympic Games, this year proves to be a winning combination. Official albums are periodic over the years, but I am happy to report the inspiring 2014 Olympic Album is available.

This release titled; Official Album of Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, was issued February 3, 2014. The release with 13 songs includes anthems, pop songs, electronic dance music and classic hits, primarily up-tempo and sung in the Russian language. There are countless Olympic album imitations, so significant is the fact this is an official release now made accessible to the public by officials of the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games.

If you love the intense, heart pounding sound of masterfully crafted cinematic music, Audiomachine has produced some of today’s best electronic orchestral songs in the cinematic music genre.

For a couple of years I have been listening to the powerful, epic songs composed by Audiomachine. I have a deep admiration for every album Audiomachine has produced, and I am certain their fans would agree.

The pair of artists Paul Dinletir and Kevin Rix has acquired a huge following by producing music for motion picture advertising, including songs for the film and television industries, theatrical trailers, video game advertising and official music for the Olympic Games.

Since their introduction in August of 2005 their work has become so prevalent I would be willing to say you have heard their music played in television commercials or a movie trailer in the theater.

If you watch the Olympic Games you have most likely heard songs by Audiomachine since they produced the promo music heard in television network NBC and Olympic Games promotional campaigns.

Two of Audiomachine’s fan favorite songs were played in this year’s Sochi Winter Olympics, plus two songs were selected as the official promotional music for the London Summer Olympic Games in 2012 and Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in 2010.

The newest EP album for 2014 by Audiomachine is Champions Will Rise: Epic Music From The 2014 Winter Olympics. The 4 songs on Champions Will Rise are an impressive mix too, having been selected as the official music by the International Olympic Committee and NBC during their worldwide promotional campaigns for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Audiomachine’s first album Chronicles with 28 epic songs was the first marketed release that began procuring the substantial fan base they have acquired today. The team’s second and third albums Epica, with 12 songs, and Helios, with 13 songs, is a wonderful collection of equally impressive songs created in their bold signature style.

The fourth 2013 album by Paul Dinletir and Kevin Rix, with 26 songs, Tree of Life and 2013 album Existence, with 18 songs, are skillfully created masterpieces. Another EP album with 3 songs released in 2013 is titled Trilogy. These 6 albums combined make up one of the best collections of epic, electronic orchestral songs to date.

To give you an idea of how accepted the high-profile music produced by Paul and Kevin has become today, ratings and reviews at Amazon are continually given 5 stars by nearly every album reviewer who has purchased their songs or albums. Similarly their Facebook likes are presently at 63, 876, after joining the social site several years ago.

Best-selling albums at CDBaby, listed the soundtrack music of the group Immediate Music, Hans Zimmer, and new age music artists Two Steps From Hell similar in style to Audiomachine.

I have listened to the soundtrack genre groups Epic North and Future World Music is likewise comparable in some respects, but non-victorious over the two titans of electronic orchestral music, Audiomachine. Knowing their Olympic status and impressive fan base, selecting Audiomachine for Best Electronic Music in 2013 was well, automatic.

Visit AudioMachine.com to hear their official Olympic music album Champions Will Rise, and listen to songs on these albums by Paul Dinletir and Kevin Rix. Listen to all 100 songs, available as digital downloads at Amazon.com and read more in my section dedicated to Audiomachine. Cover art courtesy audiomachine.com. Big Stock Photos by YuriSamsonov.

Olympic Album Review: Champions Will Rise by Audiomachine: Official Promotional Music for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

After writing about the Olympic Games several consecutive years, I have found there is an incredible amount of interest in the musicians and songs played during the spectacular performances at official Olympic ceremonies.

This is especially true with the festive Opening and Closing Ceremonies. At times I write reviews for inspiring tribute albums, but I also write album reviews about the official music for both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Audiomachine is not only one of the best producers of epic, cinematic music in the electronic orchestral category, but the two artists of Audiomachine produced the official promotional music for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

The U.S. based team of artists consisting of Paul Dinletir and Kevin Rix create inspiring music for the film and television industries, theatrical trailers, video game advertising, and promotional campaigns.

Champions Will Rise: Epic Music From The 2014 Winter Olympics is the full title of Audiomachine’s 2014 EP album. This album is a special release from the team since all 4 songs on Champions Will Rise were selected by the International Olympic Committee and television media giant NBC during their worldwide promotional campaigns for the Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee selected two songs by Audiomachine from the album for this year’s Sochi Winter Olympic promotional campaign. NBC Network played three songs from the album for commercial promos for the Sochi Games. Between the two an estimated 50 million people have heard the songs on this exclusive EP album by Audiomachine.

Along with the worldwide publicity and extensive airtime their songs received for the Sochi Winter Olympics, two songs by Audiomachine were selected as the official promotional music for the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Clearly, the International Olympic Committee and NBC find the epic, orchestral music by Audiomachine inspiring. For years I have been impressed with the precision music this winning team of artists can produce like clockwork, and I believe you will too.

List of Official Olympic Songs, Artist Names and Events already released prior to the Sochi Olympic Opening Ceremony.

With the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony now over, nearly a billion people will be watching the international athletic sporting events held in, and around various locations near the host city of Sochi, Russia in 2014.

News about the official announcement of the music and artists who performed during the sporting events are likewise, of special interest as the first music performance during the Olympic Opening Ceremony on February 7, 2014 highlight the historic 22nd Winter Games in Russia.

The Sochi Organizing Committee (SOC) didn’t release the official list of artists and their songs prior to the music events, which includes the Olympic Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, and Medal Awards ceremonies, but the good news is that there is a list of official songs and anthems released well before the extravagant Opening Ceremony.

Hits of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games is a song compilation album released earlier, and are likely to be performed at an official venue.

Another song already released is the anthem for the Olympic Torch Relay titled We Are All Under the Sky. The official anthem by the band Kasta was performed by two singers from Russia named Elka and Anton Mishenin.

This anthem was played during Olympic Torch Relay festivals in 2,900 Russian towns and villages. There is also the Sochi Olympic Theme Song titled Reach For The Top, sung by musicians Dima Bilan and Julia Savicheva.

In addition NBC’s coverage of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics included a song by American singer Danielle Bradbery. The song by Danielle Bradbery is titled My Day.

In addition a Russian music group named Red Rocks has been performing live during their nationwide concert tour comprised of 17 Russian cities.

Leading news publishers have implied classical music will be the theme, while another major Russian news source said we can expect a contemporary music theme.

One other news source said the music act Tatu is among the performing artists. Tatu is an international female Russian duo with a pop hit All The Things She Said.

Until the complete list of songs and artists who performed during the Olympic Opening Ceremony are known worldwide and officially announced by the SOC and IOC, here is a preview of official songs already released for the 22nd Winter Games and music to be performed at cultural events during the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

In an earlier article about music related to the Sochi Olympics I let visitors know there are also inspirational songs available on the Olympic YouTube Channel. Most of the music backing the videos is upbeat, electronic songs but there is a lot of inspiring instrumental music played in the videos too.

If you are one of the estimated one million persons who plan to attend the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games there is also a list of artists who will be performing live music and cultural events in and around Sochi.

Beginning February 5, 2014 to February 22, 2014, as part of Russia’s Cultural Olympiad, instrumental soloists, vocalists, and quartets are performing.

Other cultural events already scheduled are recitals and concert performances by several symphony orchestras and Russian folk ensembles at the Zimniy Theatre in Sochi, Adler Concert Hall, Organ Hall, in addition to other venues.

For complete schedule information on these live concert performances and events visit Culture.Sochi2014.com. For music played during previous Olympic and Paralympic Games visit my category section titled Official Olympic Songs. Big Stock Photos by HelleM – Stayanov – Cobalt88.

New Age Music Review: Renowned percussionist for band The Pretenders and Moodswings originator James Hood releases 2014 solo instrumental album titled Ceremony.

If you take the time to listen close enough, synthetic and natural ambient sounds surround us daily. Some sounds are preferable over others, and making the distinction of whether the sound you are listening to is one of beauty or not is naturally up to the beholder. This is especially true when it comes to the diverse forms of music.

Composer, producer and percussionist James Hood is a respected artist who possesses, and has delivered a versatile repertoire of sound to millions throughout his lengthy music career.

If you have heard and are a fan of the popular, ambient electronic group Moodswings, you can thank the group’s originator James Hood for the beautiful melodies he has produced since 1992, to present day.

The ambient electronic song Spiritual High (State of Independence) from the Moodfood album is a fan favorite of the group Moodswings, featuring vocalist Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders.

Likewise, if you admire the musical sounds produced by music icons Jeff Beck and the pop new wave band The Pretenders, you also have James Hood to thank, having been a band member of these popular bands, each with millions of fans worldwide.

Ceremony is the new solo album by James Hood, officially released today on February 4, 2014. To say this album is an exploration in sound is somewhat of an understatement. Everything about Ceremony expresses a definitive statement in relation to beauty and sound creativity.

What makes this new release special is the performance by James Hood on a relatively new percussion instrument named PanArt Hang. The sound effect of the instrument, classified as a directly struck, or hand played idiophone is one of peace and tranquility.

This exclusive percussion instrument is related to the more recognizable steel drum, but the musical sound qualities are much smoother and produce, in my opinion, a richer less metallic sound texture.

James Hood is a versatile artist whose creative achievements for producing musical sounds of beauty just took an enormous leap forward. The sounds performed on Ceremony are designed to be inherently relaxing, and the result is a remarkably effective one.

Another quality is a cinematic effect, making it a good instrument for movie or film scores. No matter how you perceive this new album, you will be hearing more about percussionist James Hood and his Ceremony album going forward.

Although this is a solo album, the unique sound structure of the PanArt Hang would blend well with an orchestra too. Either way I hope you take the time to listen to James Hood’s newest adventure in sound production.

Music News: Domo Music Group announces a special symphonic concert season for new age music star Kitaro in 2014 with the Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra.

GRAMMY® Award and Golden Globe-Winning new age artist Kitaro, is preparing to initiate his 2014 concert season. This piece of music news is a good reason for Kitaro fans to celebrate but this year, as it turns out, was destined to be special one!

In addition to Kitaro’s multiple Nominations, including this year’s 56th GRAMMY® Awards in the Best New Age Album category, Kitaro will be performing with a full orchestra during this concert season. In a press release at Domo Music Group the song playlist will include songs from the albums Silk Road, Kojiki & Heaven and Earth.

The new age superstar’s concert season billed as, “Kitaro Symphonic World Tour in 2014,” is comprised of historic cities in Eastern Europe.

The first live symphony production for this special tour begins in Santa Rosa, California on February 14, 2014, and transverses through Eastern Europe cities of Warsaw, Poland, St Petersburg, Russia, Moscow, Russia, Kiev, Ukraine, Bucharest, Hungary, and Istanbul, Turkey.

The premiere performance with the Santa Rosa Symphony orchestra begins on February 14th in Weill Hall at the Green Music Center on the campus of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. The Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra conductor is Stephen Small.

Kitaro is an important artist who has performed with an impressive list of equally important celebrity artists, and this upcoming concert series with the Santa Rosa Symphony is sure to be a once in a lifetime event. I hope to see you there!

For information and concert updates visit the Domo Music Group Kitaro page, and you may purchase tickets at SantaRosaSymphony.com. Please note, for news complete updates, including the most accurate concert information visit DomoMusicGroup.com.

Presenting A List Of New Electronic And Instrumental Albums & Best New Age Music Albums So Far In 2014.

January 1, 2014 was a date in time when PR persons, promoters and independent artists began sending me their newest electronic and instrumental albums and new age music for review each year.

In past years at New Age Music World the newest CD albums sent to me each year numbered into the hundreds, and that’s not including numerous digital downloads sent by email promotions. With so much new music to choose from it was a challenge to determine which new albums visitors would agree should be selected best.

Selecting the best new electronic and instrumental albums in 2014 won’t be any different. There will be hundreds of new age electronic, instrumental, progressive rock, and world music albums. Plus there are subcategories like contemporary instrumental, neo-classical, ambient, solo piano, relaxation, chill out, groove and vocal albums.

The album cover art shown below is a sample of the newest music CDs sent to me for review consideration so far this month in 2014. More will be added as I am more active at my non-profit blog, but from the albums listed below I typically select for my pre-release album reviews, news articles and best new music in 2014 publications in various categories.

It appears to be another exciting year of the finest new music produced by some of today’s top electronic, instrumental and new age musicians. Later in the year many of the releases below will make the top 10 radio charts, top 100 radio charts, Billboard, and IMAs in addition to best song, and best album awards by hosts at various music blogs.

I can almost guarantee some new releases at this site will eventually win the world’s most prestigious music awards. Independent artists, promoters and PR persons can find detailed information to submit a new 2014 album for possible review at New Age Music World on my profile page.

Best New Music Album Releases during 2014:

Music News: Laura Sullivan, 56th GRAMMY® Award- winning recipient for Best New Age Music Album titled Love’s River.

The 56th GRAMMY® Award winners have been announced on January 26th, 2014, and as expected, there were a few surprises on this year’s recipients of the highly prized music award.

Best New Age Album Award recipient Laura Sullivan is a solo and concert pianist whose award really didn’t come as a surprise to me at all. Laura’s piano and instrumental new age album Love’s River happened to be the first album review I wrote in 2013, and I just knew the eleven songs on her newest album were something special.

Laura Sullivan’s award-winning album Love’s River, on the Sentient Spirit Records Label, is a piano and instrumental album featuring pianist Laura Sullivan and other top music professionals including Will Ackerman, Nancy Rumbel, Eugene Friesen, Jill Haley and Jeff Oster.

The ensemble of award-winning music professionals performing their instrumentals on various songs are Nancy Rumbel playing Oboe and English Horn, Eugene Friesen on cello, Jill Haley on English Horn, Jeff Oster on trumpet and flugel horn. Record Producer Will Ackerman produced 4 songs and played acoustic guitar on the song titled Blessed.

Laura Sullivan is truly a gifted composer and pianist with many achievements as a soloist and concert pianist throughout her illustrious career, and I am pleased to see her win a GRAMMY® Award in 2014.

In the album review I wrote I stated it was exciting to be one of the first to review Laura Sullivan’s newest album Love’s River. I also stated I felt it was destined to be a popular album in 2013. For everyone who knows Laura personally, they may be in agreement that in this case Laura Sullivan’s latest achievement was not one of the few surprises!

The 11 songs on Love’s River are Secrets from the Deep, Wishing on a Dandelion, Awakening to Love, Blessed, Holding Heaven, Moonlight Passage, Love’s River, Calligraphy, River to the Sea, Story of the Rain & Snowfall on Water.

To sample and purchase Love’s River visit Laura-Sullivan.com. Read my album review on my pages for Laura Sullivan. Photo and album cover art courtesy laura-sullivan.com.